EDGE Summer 2007 – James #3 (chapter 1 – yet more of it!)

Welcome

Offer everyone a drink / snack

It’s the end of term, some will be tired, some still busy… you know your group, what do they need at the beginning to relax them? How about trying to create hand shadows on the wall? Working together to create an image of the Spinnaker Tower???

Worship

Look back over the last year. Reflect on what has been happening. Praise God, thank Him!

Word

Read James 1:17-18 As its short, perhaps read it in a few different versions..

NLT:

17Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. 18In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.

 

NIV:

17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

 

NCV:

17Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows. 18God decided to give us life through the word of truth so we might be the most important of all the things he made.

 

CEV:

17Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. 18He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.

 

Point One: If every perfect gift is from heaven, does that mean humans cannot give perfect gifts? If so, why not? Can the group think of examples…?

· They might not be sincere – only given to get something back

· They might not be sensible – giving gadgets rather than time

· They might not be sufficient – we give £1.50 when £150 is needed

· They might not be suitable – bottle of whiskey to a tee-totaller

But let’s remember that giving is good – take a look at Matthew 7:11 to see how even ‘bad’ people give good things

What do we need to do to make our giving less human deficient and more heavenly?

Point Two: So what does God give us that is perfect?

Read Deut 32:4 - His works are perfect (what he does!)

What is the difference between looking closer and closer at something man made (like a needle) and looking closer and closer at something God has made (like a flower)

Think of God’s words in Creation – his work is good… it is perfect!

Read Psalm 18:30 – His ways are perfect, his words are perfect

What God is doing in our lives, what is happening to us is perfect!

What God tells us, reveals to us is faultless – the Bible will never be out of date

Read Romans 12:2 – His will is perfect

This isn’t what God is like or what he does, this is God’s very own heart, his desire is perfect

Point Three: So who is this perfect giver?

The Father of heavenly lights who does not change.

 Why did James use the light and shadow description here?

We live in a world of change – what difference does it make that God does not change?

Point Four: We do experience times of shadow – if God hasn’t moved… if the light source has not moved, why is there sometimes a shadow… or even times of darkness?

 Have we moved away from the light?

Point Five: James 1:18 Ultimately and amazingly we have been given life, so we can be the most important thing he has made… does that not make you want to return to the light…?

 

Witness

Pray for one another…that you will be better givers and more in the place where you can accept God’s amazing gifts

 

 

Notices

Sat 21st July – Raft Race 6-9pm £2 each – invite lots of friends – lets make it a goody!